Vets help dogs on the streets

TEAM: Staff from Chantry Vets are to help treat pets living on the streets with their homeless owners.

Published:15:27Friday 20 April 2018

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A VETERINARY team is to help dogs living rough with their homeless owners.

Staff from Chantry Vets has teamed up with nationwide organisation Street Paws to help pets on the streets in Wakefield.

Vets and nurses drawn from Chantry’s practices across the district will volunteer once a month to provide basic treatments to those in need.

They will be on hand to give free health checks, provide medication, microchips and preventative treatment, including flea and worm protection.

It will be spearheaded by practice manager Victoria Lee, and be based on the precinct near Wakefield Cathedral one evening a month. They expect to see up to 80 people with pets in need of veterinary care at each session.

Victoria said: “Being in our profession, we are all very compassionate about animal welfare and this section of the community is particularly vulnerable. All animals deserve appropriate medical care and those belonging to the homeless are no exception. It is important to make veterinary services more accessible to those who are in need and Street Paws helps us bridge that gap.

“We are having to draw up rotas as we have had such an enthusiastic response from our staff who want to get involved. We are delighted to be part of such a positive concept and to be able to make a real difference to the pets from the homeless community.”

Street Paws was set up in April 2016 by a former veterinary practice manager Michelle Southern and now has 130 veterinary professionals, supporting monthly sessions across 14 cities and towns in the UK. Michelle said she was delighted with the support from Chantry and to expand the network.